1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to surgical devices and more particularly to adjustable surgical retractor devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Retractors are useful in keeping the operating field open and viewable during a surgical operation. Various types of surgical retractor frames with attached retractors have been devised to facilitate use of retractors. Most of such devices are complicated and expensive, and require some training before they can be used with any speed or skill. Moreover, they can easily be damaged and are difficult to clean and sterilize, due to their many complex components. Of even more concern is that they usually require the use of both of the surgeon's hands or those of his assistant to put them in place and to adjust their retractor components. Their retractors can easily pivot if not tightly secured in place. Such pivoting can change the retracted field so that such devices can actually impede the course of the operation, and may require frequent adjustment.
Accordingly, there is a need for a surgical retractor device that can be rapidly manipulated and adjusted with one hand, is simple in construction, durable and inexpensive, and can be easily cleaned, sterilized and reused. Moreover, the retractors used in such a device should be capable of holding their angle of retraction, i.e., they should not pivot or permit undesired shifting or change in the retracted field. Yet they should be easily repositionable with one hand as needed from time to time throughout the operation.